THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: WITH rising temperature and acute drought scenario, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department is keen to take a leaf out of its Kerala counterpart in managing forest for ecosystem services.
In an effort to study the Kerala model- a first in India which the state Forest Department attempted to undertake a Multi Species Inventory and Monitoring system - the TN Forest Department has approached Kerala team. One of the crucial goals of the model is increasing the availability of water.
State’s head of forest B S Corrie recently shared the initiatives undertaken here with the top brass of the TN Forest Department. The model he developed during a Fulbright Environmental Leadership Fellowship in the US focuses on providing a vibrant work environment while developing a citizen service orientation. It brings together managerial sciences, advances in forestry practices and technological advances. “In addition to conduct of multi species inventory and monitoring, important ecosystem health parameters are monitored.
It will help address the threat of biopiracy and poaching while ensuring sustainability of the ecosystem and the flow of ecosystem services to the community,” pointed out BS Corrie. Corrie said that last year, community response was enthusiastic in turtle and bird conservation programmes and greening programmes - 1010 ‘nakshatravanams’, 492 herbal gardens,1380 ‘kuttivanams’, 22 nature appreciation centres, 1109 ‘kuruvikoods’, and 910 forestry clubs were set up and 351 citizen conservators were enlisted.